Thursday, May 14, 2009

So Is It Just Me That Wonders About This Stuff?

I'm thinking that I may be the only person that notices this stuff. Life just doesn't make sense.

Let's take the smoking ban for a second. Health issues aside because regardless of how much of a vice it may be for you personally, it's pretty hard to argue that smoking is actually not an unhealthy thing to do. Whatever.

So all across the country cities are becoming "smoke free". Public places are being forbidden by law to allow customers to smoke in their establishments. Now, obviously some of this is good for public safety, like no smoking in a movie theater because they burn down with lots of people in them in the dark. Very bad. Or perhaps natural selection? No smoking in say, hospitals where people are already dying. Okay. Seems good. No smoking in factories with explosive chemicals? Works for me.

But let's get back to this ban in restaurants and bars, parks, etc. Last I checked you were able to choose freely where you wanted to eat or drink. That means if you don't like the atmosphere, don't go there. Last I heard smoking and smoking products were still legal.

Simplistic, I know, but follow this fool for just a second.

Smoking products are legal. It is legal to use, purchase, produce and sell smoking products.

But, no pun intended, we're slowly and methodically baning all the places you can smoke.

Wouldn't it just be easier to make all things smoking illegal? Like a smoking prohibition?? Outlaw the production and sales of all things smoking and add on a law making it illegal to light up in this country or otherwise use a smoking or tobacco related product.

That ought to do it, right?

Let's hope they never get to chocolate, caffeine, TV or whatever might be your vices.

Next up, another of today's headlines. It seems pretty scary.

The numbers of the unwed pregnancy rates from around the country are in. They're on the rise, alarmingly, according to the paper. From 2002 to 2007 the percent of babies being born to a single mom is up to 26%. In Wisconsin the number has gone from roughly 14% of all births being to a single mom in 1980 to a shocking 36% in 2007.

The article included some scary quotes too. Like this is just an example of the "transformation of social norms" and this a reflection of a "trend" of "what young adults want". ???

Young adults want to be single parents?? Um, yeah, sure I'm whole heartedly believing that. Yeah, I know all about it, but this is the generation that grew up mostly in single parent homes and it was so incredibly wonderful for them that they want to repeat it for their own children? Right.

Actually I suspect this statistic is related to yet another statistic.

The nations abortion rate is at it's lowest level since 1974. Since it's all time high in 1990, it's been in constant decline.

So, as a country we did a great job of presenting the evil of abortion, giving it a whole new stigma and in turn becoming almost accepting of unwed pregnancy, because at least the baby is alive.

Ahem.

Look for a moment with me at some of the babies that survive being unwanted. Born addicted and disabled in some way to a mom who never wanted them. Raised in a home, maybe, with a marginal sense of family at best? Maybe shuffled off into foster care? Maybe not?

And as a society we do what to support the single moms who birth these kids? And we support the kids how again?

Yeah, it's cynical Suzie today over here.

There is just so much wrong all through this topic that I am almost speechless.

Craziness. It's cultural craziness.

Now, I'm sure some of my uber-Christian pals will take great issues with me on these things, my sort of half stance, my lack of venom in convicting others in their wrongs, and yet I'm oddly okay with letting God do that part. I'm simply today, just recognizing and calling attention to this mess. And there are plenty of messes I'm skipping for today like divorce, war and gays. I guess, I just haven't yet met a sinless person, my Savior aside, and so I'll stick with my stance of not pecking someone else's face with their sins for knowing that I'd get the favor returned. Personally, I feel safest having God judge my sins instead of you, nothing personal.

Sort of like my constant chatter on foster care. It's time for all of us to tune in. It's time to admit we have broken societies, families and systems for helping those broken. It's time to admit we don't have all the answers and that we never will. It's also time to stop flapping our faces and start using our hands. It's time to stop feeling outrage and judgement and hostility for things we don't agree with or understand and start spreading the love.

So get out there, put yourself and all your own garbage in check, and start loving.